Tag: Guide

Italian Wine – A Guide to Red and White Italian Wine

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There is not one bit of Italy that is incapable of growing grapes. Italy is the 2nd largest wine producing country in the world, just below France. Italy’s geographical characteristics make it ideal to grow every type of grape that the world has to offer. The fact that Italy is so long means wine growing can be grown from the Alps right down to the south end, within sight of Africa. Because Italy is a peninsula country with a long shore line on each side of the country, this creates costal climate growing wine regions. Also because Italy is full of high mountains, and hills, it provides many different altitudes, and types of soils and climate for all types of grape growing.

Italy hosts some of the oldest wine producing regions in the world. Etruscans and Greek settlers began producing wine in Italy before the Romans began developing there own more organised vineyards. When the Romans began making there vineyards they established a larger scale production and storage technique. Italy today is estimated to produce one-fifth of the worlds wine production.

Italian Red Wine

Italy’s red wine is some of the best red wine in the world. Italian red wine is generally full bodied and very dominant. This wine is the perfect to compliment Italy’s rich and wonderful food. In Italy over 60% of its wine grown and produced is red wine. Popular red wines from Italy are:-

Barolo

Chianti

Barbaresco

Bardolino

Brunello di Montalcino

Italian White Wine

Italy’s white wines are less popular than their neighbouring red wine companion. Italy’s white wines are less powerful than the red wines they tend to be more crisp, soft and acidic. These wines are also great with food, and Italy’s white wine is said to accompany food without overpower it. Italy’s white wine which is made from the worlds popular white wine grapes tends to be of a different taste. These wines tend to be richer when grown in Italy’s soils. Popular white wines from Italy are:-

Pinot Grigio

Soave

Gavi

Orvieto

Verdicchio

Arneis

Italian Chardonnay

Asti

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Wine and Health Guide

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“Is wine good for you?” – perhaps one of the top 10 most regularly asked questions in our wine tasting events. It’s always interested me that this question is at the forefront of many wine drinker’s minds, and it’s clear this is linked to the increasing interest in what goes into wine, and how it is produced.

It’s regularly notedthat wines (particularly reds), when consumed in moderation help combat cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and even Alzheimers. Epidemiologists for instance have consistently shown that the moderate consumption of alcohol and wine helps lower cardiovascular events such as heart failure. Why? Well although alcohol is a toxic substance, in moderation amongst other things, it is an anticoagulant (which in turn prevents blood clots).

It’s not only alcohol however – phenolic compounds present in wine are also known to be beneficial. One of these, Resveratrol (seemingly the wonder compound) seems to have an extraordinary breadth of benefits, from attacking cancer cells, protecting the heart and brain from damage, reducing inflammation, and lowering the instances of diabetes. Resveratrol has even been credited with reducing age related illnesses. Interestingly, 100 times more resveratrol is absorbed by the mouth than by the stomach. Because of this, it’s recommended you sip wine, rather than knock it back.

On this point, it’s not just how much you drink, but how you drink that matters. A further study (in Italy) has shown that consuming wines with a meal significantly reduces the risk of a heart attack.

THE FRENCH PARADOX

The perceived benefits of wine drinking are not new however. The well known French Paradox (essentially the observation that the French have a relatively low incidence of coronary disease, despite having a diet rich in fat) was first brought to light by an Irish doctor by the name of Samuel Black in 1819.

This phenomenon was revisited in 1991 on 60 Minutes, a CBS news program in USA, with the suggestion that red wine decreases the incidence of cardiac arrests. The follow-on? A 44% increase in red wine consumption, with US based wineries lobbying for the right to label their wines as “health foods.” The reaction from the American public was so great that wine brand Gallo had to put their Hearty Burgundy wine on allocation.

Inevitability, there have been dissenting voices, not least the statistics collected between 1990-2000 by The World Health Organisation who have shown coronary disease in the French may have been underestimated, and may be similar to those of neighbouring countries in Europe.

Despite all the research, as usual it’s all about moderation. Moderate drinkers have been defined by some as those who consume two 5 ounce glasses of wine a day, although sex, age, build, and general health all make generialisations risky. We know where the limits are – go overboard and all the adverse effects of excessive drinking are yours for the taking (liver disease, pancreatitis, cardiovascular disease..).

The future for wine and health? Well just last year in 2008, Philip Norrie, a Sydney based winemaker, created a wine with 100 times more resveratrol than standard wine. He calls it a “vascular pipe cleaner” – watch this space.

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Fall 2010 Wine Tasting Guide To The Best Of Bc – Wines 12 To 22

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Welcome to part two of the 2010 wine tasting guide to the Best of BC wines. This article will discuss the remaining 11 wines on the list.

12) NKMip Qwam Qwmt Syrah 2007

This full bodied Syrah was aged in French and American oak barrels for 18 months, resulting in a flavour of red berry and plum, along with hints of cedar box and cracked pepper that ends with a smooth vanilla finish.
Price – $ 34.99

13) Osoyoos Larose Grand Vin 2007

Osoyoos Larose’s blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot was aged in 60% new French oak and 40% one-year-old barrels. There is a strong tannin flavour with just a hint of oak. The Grand Vin 2007 will cellar well until 2015.
Price – $ 45.00

14) Painted Rock Red Icon 2007

Painted Rock’s Red Icon is a blend of 33% Cabernet Franc, 20% Petite Verdot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 15 % Malbec that was aged 18 months in new French oak barrels. One can detect ripe fruit, flecked with dried herbs and a meaty leathery note. This red can be cellared until 2013.
Price – $ 54.94

15) Painted Rock Merlot 2007

Painted Rock’s red varietal consists of 97% Merlot and 3% Malbec that was aged 18 months in new French oak, resulting in a red with hints of honey, chocolate and a distinct, yet not overbearing, barrel note.
Price – $ 39.92

17) Poplar Grove Syrah 2007

Poplar Grove’s full-bodied Syrah has noticeable hints of ripe cherry, raspberry with leather and black pepper notes.
Price – $ 29.90

18) Quails Gate Old Vine Foch 2008

Made from vines planted 45 years ago and aged in American oak barrels for 18 months, Quails Gate’s Old Vine Foch has noticeable hints of cinnamon spice, candied cherry, bitter chocolate and tobacco. This wine will cellar well until 2015.
Price – $ 24.99

19) Sandhill Small Lots Barbera 2007

Sandhill Small Lots Barbera is comprised of 91%, Barbera and 9% Sangiovese, resulting in a red with hints of black fruits and plums dusted with spice. Only 270 cases of this were produced, so get them while you can.
Price – $ 30.00

20) Sandhill Small Lots Cabernet Syrah 2007

This 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah was aged in American oak for 20 months. With hints of black fruits, chocolate, spice, black pepper, cedar, black licorice and cherry cordials, this red will go fast, as there were only 420 cases produced.
Price – $ 30.00

21) Sandhill Small Lots Sangiovese 2007

Another limited edition from Sandhill, with only 430 cases being produced, is their blend of 94% Sangiovese and 6% Barbera that was aged in one year old French oak for 20 months, resulting in a red that has hints of cedar, cherry, spice and leather.
Price – $ 30.00

22) Twisted Tree 6 Vines 2008

Twisted Tree is a newcomer into the BC wine community. Their blend of 30% Malbec, 25% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carmnre and 5% Cabernet Franc has hints of cassis and liquorice. This is yet another wine that you will have to pick-up as soon as possible as there were only 916 cases produced.

Look for part one of the Wine Tasting Guide to the Best of BC article for more tasting information on wines 1 through 11.

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Fall 2010 Wine Tasting Guide To The Best Of Bc – First 11 Wines

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The Fall 2010 Best of BC wine list is now out, and with 22 local wines from 13 wineries to choose from, it can be a difficult task for anyone, from the wine expert to novice wine collector. The following list will briefly describe the first 11 wines on the Best of BC list to help you make an informed decision on your purchases.

1) Burrowing Owl Meritage 2007

The 2007 Meritage is a blend of 36% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. With the aroma of black currant this wine can cellar up to 2018.
Price – $ 44.90

2) Burrowing Owl Syrah 2007

Burrowing Owl’s red varietal, made from 100% Syrah, or Shiraz grapes, was aged in French, American and Russian oak barrels. The resulting vintage contains hints of blackberry, plums and spice and can cellar until 2015.
Price – $ 34.90

3) CedarCreek Platinum Merlot 2007

A red varietal containing 97.3% Merlot and only 2.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, CedarCreek’s Platinum Merlot was aged 20 months in 100% French oak barrels, resulting in a Merlot that has hints of raspberry, blueberry, chocolate, spice and oak. This red can cellar for the next 10 years.
Price – $ 34.90

4) CedarCreek Platinum Meritage 2007

CedarCreek’s 44% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot blend can cellar up to 15 years. With its hint of ripe black fruit like blackberries and plums this isn’t a wine to miss out on.
Price – $ 35.00

5) Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Tempranillo 2007

Inniskillin’s red varietal uses 100% Tempranillo grapes and was aged in 100% French oak barrels. With this red you can detect hints of dark cherry, plum and oak.
Price – $ 29.99

6) Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Cabernet Shiraz Viognier 2007

Jackson-Triggs 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz blend was aged in 50% French and 50% American oak barrels for 18 months, resulting in an aromatic nose of ripe blackcurrant with undertones of spice.
Price – $ 29.99

7) Laughing Stock Portfolio 2007

Blending Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Laughing Stock’s 2007 Portfolio was aged in French oak barrels for 19 months and has hints of candied cherry, black berries and dark chocolate.
Price – $ 40.00

8) Mission Hill Compendium 2007

The 2007 Compendium is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The nose of this wine includes of red currants, cedar, cinnamon and hints of mint, which gives way to notes of dried earth, sage, plum and sundried blackberries. This red is drinkable now and can cellar through to 2015-2017.
Price – $ 40.00

9) Mission Hill Quatrain 2007

The Mission Hill blend of 42% Merlot, 24% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon in the Quatrain 2007 has hints of ripe fruit, pepper and oak.
Price – $ 45.00

10) NKMip Qwam Qwmt Meritage 2007

This 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc blend was aged in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels for 18 months. The fragrant nose of blueberry and ripe blackberry give way to a taste of rich cocoa, coffee bean and spice, with a smokey finish.
Price – $ 30.00

11) NKMip Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir 2008

As the name suggests, this red varietal is made from 100% pinot noir grapes and has an inviting nose that displays elements of black cherry and plum with a hint of rosemary spice. As for taste, one can detect a substantial berry and spice flavour with a smooth oak finish.
Price – $ 30.00

Remember to look for part two of this article for tasting information on the Best of BC wines, 12 through 22.

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Guide to $10 Wines – An Australian Sauvignon Blanc

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This is our second Australian wine, and our first Sauvignon Blanc. Australia is a major wine producer partly because Australians drink well over twice as much wine per capita as do Americans. The wine reviewed below comes from Victoria, Australia’s smallest mainland state, which is second in the country’s wine production.

Deakin Estate has been growing grapes since the late 1960s but started producing wine only in 1980. The company is named for Australia’s second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin. A University, a suburb of Australia’s capital, and an earthquake fault are also named for this guy. Let’s see if this wine also has a fault.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Deakin Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008 12.5 % alcohol about $ 10

Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale straw yellow; grassy, citrus, grapefruit and gooseberry nose; dry, light bodied, zesty on the palate with grapefruit nuances; clean finish. Serving Suggestion: Oysters; chevre; herbed chicken; salads; vegetable soup. And now for my review.

I started by sipping this wine alone. I remarked its lovely acidity and more than moderate length. The first meal started with sweet and sour barbecued turkey wings, and then an overcooked, dry barbecued chicken breast, accompanied by potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and a lime and garlic spicy tomato salsa served as a vegetable. With the turkey wings the gooseberry came forward with more than a touch of sweetness. In conjunction with the chicken the Sauvignon Blanc had a very pleasant lime taste but it was light. As expected, it was quite palate cleansing when dealing with the greasy potatoes. When paired with the salsa, the wine took on a bit of an ethereal quality and wasn’t at all overwhelmed by the medium level of spiciness.

The second meal was a Middle-Eastern specialty ground beef in crushed bulgur jackets cooked in a somewhat acidic sauce containing Swiss chard. This dish is known as Kube or Kibbe. The Sauvignon Blanc was finely acidic with a note of sugar and some citrus. Later I had some high-quality French style lemon pie with a very buttery crust. The wine picked up acidity but unfortunately didn’t display any citrus.

The final meal consisted of a simple omelet. The wine displayed refreshing acidity and tasted of grapefruit that could have been somewhat riper. Don’t get me wrong; it wasn’t harsh. It picked up strength and a note of sweetness with canned palm hearts and even more so with guacamole. The wine became somewhat unctuous with a note of lime. I finished the meal with cookies covered in dark chocolate (not the real stuff, but a good imitation) and the wine weakened.

I finished the tasting with two cheeses. When paired with a Provolone the wine displayed good acidity and a bit of lime. It was refreshing. Marbled Cheddar increased the Sauvignon Blanc’s acidity and I tasted grapefruit. I was sorry not to have any goat cheese (chevre) the classic pairing for Sauvignon Blanc. I cannot remember when I was sorry not to have a cheese pairing.

Final verdict. I would definitely buy this wine again. It is a bargain. I recently reviewed a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at twice the price that wasn’t nearly as good. I intend to review here other wines from this producer.

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